Sweden is home to some of the most vibrant, welcoming and enchanting ski resorts in Europe.  Another plus is that Sweden’s ski season starts later and ends later than resorts in the Alps. This means that, while you can ski in January, you’re often better off waiting until later in the year, when there’s still plenty of snow. The vibe at Sweden’s ski resorts tends to be relaxed and family friendly (there’s less of the raucous après-ski that you’ll be used to if you’ve visited France).The runs are shorter in Sweden, but there’s usually less hustle and bustle at the lifts.

Åre is the most famous ski resort in Sweden, with thousands of Swedes making the long journey there to ski each winter (it’s around seven hours from Stockholm by train). There’s a reason it’s popular: Åre is home to Sweden’s largest downhill ski area, with the longest runs coming in at about 6km. Åre is really the Disneyland of the Swedish ski experience – it’s a little more commercial than the country’s other ski resorts, but the upside is that it’s become a bit of a hub for music, culture, skiing, and outdoor activities.